Culture Costumes and Denial

My grandma always told me that being submissive gains people’s sympathy. In Mexico, women are encouraged to be a great house makers; moreover, to be submissive, clean and attentive to detail. Back in the old days, women were expecting it to be homemakers, so my grandmother made sure that I will become a good.
On the other hand, that was not my plan, my plan was to move to another country and make more of my life than a house maker could make, so for me those ideals did not fit into my future. I remember making a big fuss, either I would run away, which it did not matter because my grandma would wait for me to come home and ask me to clean the kitchen every time. In addition, my grandmother would show me how to be submissive, with increasing insistency. Furthermore, she would tell me that lazy people works twice, so that got me to take my chores very seriously.

Clean the stove the table the appliances, sweep and mop the floors were my torment, but the most annoying thing to do was the dishes; moreover, because we were a family of eight with three meals a day, and at night a three course meal; I had to do the pans and pots as well! I never understood why I had to do so much at that time. I guess being the oldest got me in that struggle, you know the role model thing! Maybe my grandmother was educating my younger siblings through me.

When I moved to America I had to start from zero, nonetheless I do feel that challenge was worth to live. Looking for a job, and It can be a major difficulty when you can not communicate with your employer, yet I manage to learn a little with Sesame Street. In addition, I believe that America really values a clean, detailed and submissive employee, so then I thanked my grandmother for her teachings. I won my boss’s sympathy and got into the path that I was looking to have in America. Besides, I learned spoken English, which I believe it has being a crucial outcome for me.

It is true that culture makes us unique in a foreign country, yet I also have noticed that it creates “bias” in people. Not all Americans are pro-emigration. One time, getting off from work, my boss’s father, a first generation of Mexican-American, gave me a ride home. On the way, he started asking me questions, which I felt were a little aggressive to make, especially for someone who knew that I was Mexican. He started smoothly telling me his story, “My grandparents decide to immigrate to the USA at the time of the revolution because my father was a musician and he did not want to be in the military.”

In other words, he excused himself saying that his family emigrated for better reasons that current Mexicans have, and suddenly with a disgusted look, he asked me why Mexicans do not abstain from coming to America. Why do they keep coming? Maybe it was the intensity of the conversation or the surprise to see from who those questions were coming from. My answer put me back in reality. There are people who just do not want you in America, as full of pride as a Mexican that I am I answer to him that “Mexico’s economy is being weak for the last thirty years, and for some of us immigrating to other counties was a good option to improve our lives.” He gave me a grimace and stop talking; with his silence, I assume that he had an identity problem. Moreover, he was not so proud of his nationality I feel that his comments were full of discrimination and it wounded my pride. For the first time since I moved here, I felt unwelcome. When I got home, I realize that not all the people are proud of their roots.

I was surprise that my grandmother’s teachings had helped me to succeed in this country; in addition, my perspective from America had change. I discover that traditions and costumes can be loss in the transition. It is true that when I was little I never understood why I have to clean the kitchen, but within I learn the tools to succeed in America.